Privacy Notice

The Government of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) (the Agency) are committed to providing websites that respect the privacy of visitors. This privacy notice summarizes the privacy practices for the Agency's online activities.

All personal information collected by this institution is governed by the Privacy Act. This means that you will be informed of the purpose for which your personal information is being collected and how to exercise your right of access to that information.

Your Privacy and the Internet

The nature of the Internet is such that Web servers automatically collect certain information about a visit to a website, including the visitor's Internet Protocol (IP) address. IP addresses are unique numbers assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISP) to all devices used to access the Internet. Web servers automatically log the IP addresses of visitors to their sites. The IP address, on its own, does not identify an individual. However, in certain circumstances, such as with the co-operation of an ISP for example, it could be used to identify an individual using the site. For this reason, the Government of Canada considers the IP address to be personal information, particularly when combined with other data automatically collected when visitor requests a Web page such as the page or pages visited, date and time of the visit.

Unless otherwise noted, the Agency does not automatically gather any specific information from you, such as your name, telephone number or email address. The Agency would obtain this type of information only if you supply it to us, for example, by email or by filling in a contact form. In such cases, how your personal information is handled will be provided in a Personal Information Collection Statement.

In cases where services are provided by organizations outside of the Government of Canada, such as social media platforms or mobile applications, IP addresses may be recorded by the Web server of the third-party service provider.

Communicating with the Government of Canada

If you choose to send the Agency an email or complete a feedback form online, your personal information is used by the CFIA in order to respond to your inquiry. The information you provide will only be shared with another government institution if your inquiry relates to that institution. The CFIA does not use the information to create individual profiles nor does it disclose the information to anyone other than to those in the federal government who need to provide you with a response. Any disclosure of your personal information is in accordance with the Privacy Act.

Emails and other electronic methods used to communicate with the Government of Canada are not secure unless it is specifically stated on a Web page. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not send sensitive personal information, such as your Social Insurance Number or your date of birth, through non-secure electronic means.

Personal information from emails or completed feedback forms is collected pursuant to the Privacy Act. Such information may be used for statistical, evaluation and reporting purposes and is included in Personal Information Bank PSU 914 Public Communications.

Third-Party Social Media

The Agency's use of social media serves as an extension of its presence on the Web. Social media account(s) are public and are not hosted on Government of Canada servers. Users who choose to interact with us via social media should read the terms of service and privacy policies of these third-party service providers and those of any applications you use to access them. The Agency uses Twitter.

Personal information that you provide to the Government of Canada via social media account(s) is collected under the authority of the Financial Administration Act. This information is collected to capture conversations (e.g. questions and answers, comments, retweets) between you and the Agency. It may be used to respond to inquiries, or for statistical, evaluation and reporting purposes. Comments posted that violate Canadian law will be deleted and disclosed to law enforcement authorities. Comments that violate our rules of engagement will also be deleted. The personal information is included in Personal Information Bank PSU 938 Outreach Activities.

Improving your Experience on Government of Canada Websites

Digital Markers (including cookies)

A digital marker is a resource created by the visitors' browser in order to remember certain pieces of information for the Web server to reference during the same or subsequent visit to the website. Examples of digital markers are "cookies" or HTML5 web storage. Some examples of what digital markers do are as follows:

they allow a website to recognize a previous visit each time the visitor accesses the site;

they track what information is viewed on a site which helps website administrators ensure visitors find what they are looking for.

The Agency uses sessional or persistent digital markers on some portions of its website. During your on-line visit, your browser exchanges data with the Agency's Web server. The digital markers used do not allow the Agency to identify individuals.

You may adjust your browser settings to reject digital markers, including cookies, if you so choose. However, it may affect your ability to interact with the Agency's website.

Web Analytics

Web analytics is the collection, analysis, measurement, and reporting of data about Web traffic and visits for purposes of understanding and optimizing Web usage. Information in digital markers may be used for the purpose of web analytics to remember your online interactions with the Agency's website.

The Agency uses NetInsight to improve its web site. When your computer requests an Agency Web page, our institution collects the following types of information for Web analytics:

the originating IP address

the date and time of the request

the type of browser used

the page(s) visited

Information used for the purpose of Web analytics is collected pursuant to the Financial Administration Act. Such data may be used for communications and information technology statistical purposes, audit, evaluation, research, planning and reporting. For more information on how your privacy is safeguarded in relation to web analytics, see the Standard on Privacy and Web Analytics.

Protecting the Security of Government of Canada Websites

The Agency employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. This software receives and records the IP address of the computer that has contacted our website, the date and time of the visit and the pages visited. We make no attempt to link these addresses with the identity of individuals visiting our site unless an attempt to damage the site has been detected.

This information is collected pursuant to section 161 of the Financial Administration Act. The information may be shared with appropriate law enforcement authorities if suspected criminal activities are detected. Such information may be used for network security related statistical purposes, audit, evaluation, research, planning and reporting and is included in Personal Information Bank PSU 939 Security Incidents.

Inquiring about these Practices

Any questions, comments, concerns or complaints you may have regarding the administration of the Privacy Act and privacy policies regarding the Agency's Web presence may be directed to our Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator by:

If you are not satisfied with the Agency's response to your privacy concern, you may wish to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner by telephone at 1-800-282-1376.

Using Files Located on Non-Government of Canada Servers

To improve the functionality of our websites certain files (such as open source libraries, images, and scripts) may be delivered automatically to your browser via a trusted third-party server or Content Delivery Network. The delivery of these files is intended to provide a seamless user experience by speeding response times and avoiding the need for each visitor to download these files. Where applicable, specific privacy statements covering these files are included in our Privacy Notice.

Providing Content in Our Official Languages

The Official Languages Act, the Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations and Treasury Board policy requirements establish when the CFIA uses both English and French to provide services to or communicate with members of the public. When there is no obligation to provide these in both official languages, content may be available in one official language only. Information provided by entities not subject to the Official Languages Act is in the language(s) provided. Information provided in a language other than English or French is only for the convenience of our website visitors.

Linking to Non-Government of Canada Websites

Links to websites not under the control of the Government of Canada are provided solely for the convenience of our website visitors. The government is not responsible for the accuracy, currency or reliability of the content. The government does not offer any guarantee in that regard and is not responsible for the information found through these links, nor does it endorse the sites and their content.

Visitors should also be aware that information offered by non-Government of Canada sites to which this website links is not subject to the Privacy Act, the Official Languages Act and may not be accessible to persons with disabilities. The information offered may be available only in the language(s) used by the sites in question. With respect to privacy, visitors should research the privacy policies of these non-Government websites before providing personal information.

Applying for Crown copyright clearance

The Government of Canada uses Crown copyright to protect the integrity of material that government departments and agencies create.

At the CFIA, we have produced and compiled all material on this website to provide Canadians with information about the programs and services we offer. If you would like to use CFIA material in a work you are producing, you may need to get copyright clearance from us to do so, depending on why and how you want to use it.

When Crown copyright clearance is not required

Unless it is specified otherwise, you do not need clearance to simply reproduceFootnote 1CFIA material - in part or in whole, or by any means - if you are using it for personal purposes,Footnote 2 for public non-commercial purposes,Footnote 3 or for cost-recovery purposes.Footnote 4

However, when you do reproduce CFIA materials without copyright clearance, you must ensure that you meet the following requirements:

You must ensure that the material you reproduce is accurate.

In your work, you must clearly indicate the complete title of the CFIA material you are reproducing, as well as the author (when available).

You must explain that the CFIA material you are reproducing is available on the CFIA website by providing a link.

You must note that you are reproducing the CFIA material without affiliation with or endorsement from the Government of Canada.

When Crown copyright clearance is required

There are two instances when you will need copyright clearance to use CFIA material:

You always need clearance if you are revising, adapting, or translatingCFIA material, regardless of whether you are reproducing it for personal, public non-commercial, or cost-recovery purposes.

You always need clearance when you are distributing CFIA material for commercial purposes.

Reproduction of Government Symbols Notice

The official symbols of the Government of Canada, including the Canada Wordmark, the Arms of Canada, and the flag symbol may not be reproduced, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes, without prior written authorization. Request for authorization from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat may be addressed to:

Accessibility Notice

The CFIA is committed to equitable access to information, regardless of the technologies used. We are continually striving to make our site accessible to all, including persons with disabilities and to those who use assistive devices.

The CFIA has included some accessibility features on the Web site for the benefit of individuals using assistive technology.

Skip Navigation Links

Skip Navigation links are used mainly for use with assistive technologies such as screen readers, and PDA's (Personal Digital Assistants). They allow readers to skip directly to the content or to a local sub menu. The Skip Navigation links are placed in the upper left hand corner of the screen. A white spacer image holds the link and the alternative text indicates how it works.

If you have any questions about the accessibility of this site or if you are having trouble accessing information, you can contact us by: